The USDA Food Guide is a tool designed to promote the concepts of variety, moderation and balance in the diet. Variety means eating foods from all food groups; moderation means limiting the amount of high-sugar or high-fat foods; and balance means eating the number of servings recommended according to your individual calorie needs.

The USDA Food Guide is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is also designed to provide the recommended dietary allowances for calories, fiber and nutrients. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans also identifies the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan as an alternate eating guide for healthy Americans.

There are six food groups and a subgroup: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans, and oils. There is also a discretionary calorie allowance for solid fat and added sugars. Balance among the food groups is needed daily. No one food group is more important than another. There are no "good" foods or "bad" foods, but it is important to balance the high-fat or high-sugar foods with low-fat or low-sugar foods over one or two days. Foods that have three grams of fat or less per 100 calories are considered low in fat.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Name the major food groups in the USDA Food Guide.
• List the range of servings recommended for each food group.
• Understand serving sizes/equivalents.
• Understand that fat intake should be limited to 25%-35% of calories.
• Give suggestions for food selection and preparation methods to help moderate sugar, sodium and fat intake.
• Understand that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Grains are the foundation of a well-balanced diet. Foods in this group provide key nutrients for a variety of uses:

• B vitamins -- help use energy from food, keep the skin healthy and help digestion and appetite
• Iron -- builds red blood cells
• Protein -- for growth and repair of body tissues
• Carbohydrate -- for energy
• Fiber -- prevents constipation and decreases risks for coronary heart disease.

Some foods in this group include biscuits, bread, ready-to-eat cereals, cooked cereals (oatmeal, grits and cream of wheat), cornmeal, macaroni, muffins, noodles, pancakes, rice, spaghetti, tortillas, waffles, graham crackers, saltine crackers and popcorn. It is recommended to consume an equal amount of whole grains to other grains.

The USDA Food Guide recommends 6 ounce-equivalents from the grain group daily. Serving sizes for this group are:

• Bread -- 1 slice
• Biscuit, roll or muffin -- 1 small
• Tortilla – 1  6”
• Waffle or pancake – 1 4” in diameter
• Crackers -- 5 small or 2 large
• Hamburger or hot dog bun and bagel – 1/2
• Ready-to-eat cereal -- 1 cup (1 ounce – DASH Eating Plan, ½ cup-1¼ cup depending on type of cereal – check label)
• Cooked cereal, rice and pasta – 1/2 cup

Some of the best buys in the grain group are:

Other cost-saving tips for the grain group include:

• Buy ready-to-eat cereals in large boxes or bags instead of single-serving boxes.
• Buy day-old bread and shop at bread outlets.
• Use stale bread for toast, casseroles, french toast, grilled sandwiches, bread pudding and stuffing.
• Compare bread prices by weight, not by size of the package. A large loaf of bread may contain a lot of air.
• Buy store brands or generic bread products. These are usually cheaper than name brands.
• Make your own baking mixes for cornbread, biscuits and muffins. These are usually cheaper than ready-made mixes.
• Use foods in the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group in casseroles to stretch your food dollar.

Make sure to read the labels on these products so you will know what you are buying.

Some terms you may find on the labels include:

Whole-grain: These are made from whole kernels of grain. These are a good source of fiber. It is recommended that we eat at least 3 ounce-equivalents of whole-grain foods each day, such as whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice and whole-grain pastas.

Enriched: Vitamins and iron are lost when grain is milled to make white flour or meal. Enriched flour or meal has vitamins and iron added during processing. However, fiber lost during milling is not added back.

Fortified: Many breakfast cereals have extra vitamins and minerals added. These are called fortified products. They are usually more expensive than those which have not been fortified.

Storage tips for the grain group:

Bread stored at room temperature stays fresh longest. Bread stored in the refrigerator gets stale faster but will not mold quickly. You may freeze bread for up to six months. Store rice, flour, noodles, cornmeal, etc. in tightly closed containers in a dry place.

Washing rice and rinsing cooked spaghetti and noodles removes important vitamins.

Is the grain group fattening?

Many people think that grain products are fattening. This is not true, though. It is not the bread that is fattening; it's what we put on the bread. If you add a pat of butter and a tablespoon of grape jelly to the bread, it will have 160 calories instead of 80 calories. If you add two tablespoons of gravy to your rice, the calories jump from 80 to 200. Foods from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group won't make you fat. This important group gives us vitamins, minerals and energy. Half of the foods in our daily diet should come from this group. To make lower-calorie choices in the grain group, follow these tips:

Choose lower-fat and lower-sugar products.
Compare:

• One slice bread = 80 calories
• One small biscuit = 100 calories
• One doughnut = 175 calories

Cut down on fat in your biscuit or cornbread recipes.

Use thinly sliced bread.

Snack on unbuttered popcorn.

Choosing Cereals

Did you know that some cereals may have as much as 3½ teaspoons of sugar in each serving? We will look at how to choose the best cereals for you and your family. Cereals are nutritious, tasty, convenient and low in cost. They are easy to prepare and are packed with energy. Cereals help build muscles and other body tissues. They also help promote growth and good health.

The USDA Food Guide recommends eating six equivalents of grains each day. Cereals made from whole grains are best. They have more fiber. Examples of whole-grain cereals are barley, corn, oats, rice and rye. Insoluble fiber aids in digestion and elimination. Soluble fiber helps to reduce cholesterol levels. Cereals made from bran of wheat, oats, rice, corn or other grains are high in dietary fiber. Cereals that are cheaper are usually more nutritious. Cereals that you cook are usually less expensive than ready-to-eat or instant cereals. Single packages of cereal cost more than large packages. Some cereals contain added sugar. These cereals usually have more calories and cost more than plain cereals. Add your own sugar to plain cereals to save money and calories. Use the ingredient label. Read labels to select the best cereal. As a general rule, the shorter the list of ingredients, the more nutritious the cereal. Look for whole grain as the first ingredient. Choose cereals that are whole-grain, enriched or restored. Look for the terms oats, corn, rice, barley, rye and wheat.

Websites to Visit:

www.usarice.com This is a good site for rice recipes, cooking tips and nutrition information.

www.smallgrains.org Click on "Wheat Foods" and then the "6 Classes of Wheat." Also click on "Wheat Facts" and "About Wheat Nutrition" and read the topics included.

www.kelloggs.com Click on "Course 1" and go through the course.

www.breadworld.com This is a good site for recipes and nutrition information

www.quakeroats.com This is a good site for recipes and nutrition activities for children.

Fruits and vegetables also provide key nutrients needed by the body:

Beta-carotene or vitamin A: May help protect against certain types of cancer. Keeps your hair healthy and is needed for good vision. In pregnancy, helps develop baby's skeleton, eyes, skin, hair, teeth, gums and glands. Fruits high in vitamin A include apricots, peaches, cantaloupes and watermelons. Vegetables include carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, greens, pumpkin and winter squash.

Vitamin C: Holds body cells together, heals wounds and helps the body to use iron. In pregnancy, helps form the baby's bones, teeth and gums. Fruits high in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, cantaloupe, tangerines, watermelon and tomatoes. Vegetables include broccoli, potatoes, green peppers and cabbage.

Folic Acid: (Also called folacin or folate in natural form) Helps the body make red blood cells, which help prevent anemia. The lack of folic acid may cause miscarriages or neural tube (brain) birth defects. Oranges are a fairly good source of folic acid; green leafy vegetables are an excellent source.

Iron: Makes hemoglobin, the part of blood that helps transport oxygen to cells. Found in leafy green vegetables and dried peas and beans. Needs to be combined with a vitamin C source to aid absorption.

Potassium: Involved in fluid balance. Major sources are potatoes, prunes, oranges and bananas.

Fruits and vegetables are also an important source of fiber. Soluble fiber found in vegetables and fruits (like apples) has been shown to help lower blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber aids regularity of bowel movements, often a problem for the elderly and during pregnancy.

The USDA Food Guide recommends 2 cups (4 servings) of fruit per day, including at least 1 serving of citrus fruit or juice. Participants should consume at least 2 servings, the minimum number. A serving size equals ½ cup of 100% juice, 1 medium apple, banana or other fruit; ½ cup fresh, cooked or canned fruit. (* Note – serving sizes are based on a 2,000-calorie eating plans.)

The Food Guide recommends 2½ cups (5 servings) of vegetables; including at least 3 cups per week of dark green, leafy vegetables, 2 cups per week of orange vegetables, 3 cups per week of legumes (dry beans), 3 cups per week of starchy vegetables, and 6.5 cups per week of other vegetables. A serving size equals ½ cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables, 1 cup leafy raw vegetables (like lettuce or spinach), one-half cup 100% vegetable juice.

The DASH Eating Plan recommends 2-2½ cups (4-5 servings) of fruits and vegetables. The only difference from the Food Guide is the juice equivalent. The DASH Eating Plan equivalent is ¾ cup of 100% fruit and vegetable juice compared with ½ cup according to the USDA Food Guide.

The Nine-A-Day Plan suggests that at least 2 cups (4 servings) of fruit and 2½ cups (5 servings) of vegetables should be eaten every day.

Tips to Stretch Your Food Dollar:

1. Compare prices of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables to get the best buy. One pound of fresh is about the same as 10 ounces of frozen or a 1-pound can. Don't buy bruised or wilted vegetables.

2. Fresh vegetables cost less in season. Find sweet potatoes at a better price in the fall; broccoli, spinach and cabbage in the winter. Look for summer squash and tomatoes in the spring and summer.

3. To save vitamins and minerals, cook in a small amount of water. Cook just until tender. Leave the skins on. Leave whole or cut in large pieces. Use a lid.

Veg out on Veggies!

If you don't like the bitter taste of some vegetables, don't overcook them. Also, leave the lid off for the first 5 minutes.

Eat an upside-down salad for better nutrition. Pile on the shredded carrots and other raw vegetables first. Add the lettuce last.

Snack on raw vegetables with a low-fat dip. Try sliced raw sweet potatoes, squash or turnips for a change.

Make a carrot and raisin salad. Or cook carrots with canned pineapple. Thicken with a little flour or cornstarch.

Fitting in Fruits

Drink fruit juices instead of soft drinks. Add club soda if you like.

Dress up a canned fruit salad with low-fat cottage cheese or a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Carry a banana, apple or orange in your purse for a snack instead of a candy bar.

Spread peanut butter on apple slices or bananas.

Freeze grapes or bananas for a frosty summer snack.

Eat applesauce hot or cold.

Try dried fruit like raisins and prunes as a snack.

Whip up a smoothie using frozen orange juice concentrate and milk. Add a mashed banana, if you like.

Websites to Visit:

www.dole.com -- Click on Healthy Foods and Fun with Nutrition.

www.apples.org -- Click on All About WA Apples for apple information and recipes.

www.broccoli.com -- Click on Broccoli Institute, then Health and Nutrition, then Mann Nutrition Report and Health Articles. Also click on Mom's Kitchen for tips and recipes

Foods in this group include beef, pork, fish, shellfish, veal, eggs, poultry, tofu, dried beans and nuts. These foods are valuable sources of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Although iron and zinc are found in some plant foods, our bodies use these nutrients better when they come from animal sources.

Protein: Helps to build and repair body tissues.

B vitamins: Help keep skin and nerves healthy, help regulate the digestive system and help use energy from food.

Iron: Helps to build healthy blood. Without enough iron, you may become anemic. When you are anemic, you tire faster and more often. You may also feel dizzy and out of breath. Iron helps you resist infections. Iron in meats is called heme iron. Foods of plant origin contain non-heme iron. Egg yolks have mostly non-heme iron. Heme iron in meats is better absorbed by the body. To make non-heme iron more absorbable, add a vitamin C-rich food or a small amount of meat to your meal.

Zinc: This mineral is important for the brain to develop and function. Zinc also plays an important role in pregnancy. Women who have low levels of zinc early in pregnancy are more at risk of having a low-birth-weight infant. Low-birth-weight infants have more severe complications and are less likely to live beyond infancy than infants who have normal birth weights. Zinc is necessary to have a healthy immune system to fight infections and illness.

When you don't get enough zinc, any health problems you have, such as an infection, burn or diabetes, could worsen.

How Much Meat to Eat?

Foods from this group should be eaten in moderation. Adults, teens and children need to eat 5.5 ounce-equivalents daily from the meat and bean group of the USDA Food Guide. The DASH Eating Plan recommends 6 ounces or less of meat, poultry or fish.

How Much is a Serving?

Both the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan recommend a 1 ounce-equivalent: 1 ounce of cooked, lean meats, poultry or fish (without bones). One egg counts as one ounce of meat. Try to have no more than three to four eggs a week because eggs are high in cholesterol. The USDA Food Guide equivalents are: 1/4 cup of cooked dried beans, peas or tofu as 1 ounce; 1 tablespoon of peanut butter as 1 ounce of meat and ½ ounce of nuts or seeds counts as 1 ounce of meat. The DASH Eating Plan’s equivalents are: 1½ ounces of nuts, ½ ounce seeds and ½ cup cooked dry beans.

We need 5.5 ounces of cooked lean meat each day. Let's see how we can get this amount from the different foods in the meat group. For example, 5.5 ounces might come from:

• One egg for breakfast = 1 ounce of lean meat
• Two ounces sliced turkey in a sandwich at lunch
• One-half ounce cashews
• Two ounces cooked lean hamburger for dinner

    = Five and one-half ounces for the day.

Lowering the Fat in Your Diet

Most of the fat we consume comes from the meat group. Some ways to cut down on the fat intake from foods in this group include:

1. Select lower-fat choices of beef and pork from the meat group. Generally, beef cuts with loin or round in the name and pork cuts with loin in the name are the leanest choices. In addition, select USDA Select grade for beef. Select grade is generally leaner than Choice because it has less marbling (fat) and less fat on the edges. The fewer white specks you see in beef, the leaner the meat.
2. Select fish and poultry more often than beef. Fish and poultry are lower in fat content than beef. The fat in poultry is mainly in the skin. The Louisiana State University Department of Poultry Science recommends to cook poultry with the skin on, then remove the skin before eating. The poultry will be moister and more flavorful by following that procedure.
3. Cook in ways to reduce rather than add fat. Broil or roast on a rack. These cooking methods require no added fat. Tenderize lean cuts by cooking slowly with moist heat, cooking in liquid or marinating. Pounding and slicing across the grain also help. Remove fat from soups, stews and casseroles by chilling them and skimming the hardened fat from the top. Cut off all visible fat from the meat before cooking and eating.
4. Eat less meat. When we enjoy smaller portions of meat, we fill the rest of our plates with fruit, vegetables, beans and rice, noodles or bread. Stretch smaller portions of meat and make them more interesting by cooking them with vegetables in soups, stews, casseroles and stir-fried dishes.

Choose More. . . 

• Baked or stewed chicken with the skin removed. Remove the skin after the chicken is cooked.
• Roast turkey.
• Lean ground beef or ground turkey.
• Fish canned in water.
• Leaner cuts of beef (beef cuts with loin or round in the name are generally leaner choices.)
• Lower-fat packaged lunch meats, like turkey ham, smoked or baked chicken breast, very thinly sliced chicken, turkey, ham, roast beef, boiled ham, honey loaf, turkey pastrami and lower-fat hot dogs.
• Poached or hard-cooked eggs.
• Dry beans and peas cooked without added fat, such as bacon grease or ham hocks.
• Peanut butter limited to 2 tablespoons.
• Nuts once in a while.

Choose Less. . . 

• Fried chicken or turkey.
• Regular ground beef or pork.
• Fish canned in oil.
• Beef cuts higher in fat, such as brisket, chuck, blade roast, steak or ribs.
• Regular sandwich meats like salami and bologna, hot dogs and sausage.
• Fried or scrambled eggs.
• Dry beans and peas cooked with added fat such as bacon grease, lard or ham hocks.
• Peanut butter.
• Nuts.

Food Safety

Many cases of food-borne illness result from the mishandling of food in the home. Prevent food-borne illness by handling, cooking and storing food properly.

1. Cook meats to proper degree of doneness. A good, one-time purchase for your money is a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer tells you the degree of doneness of the meat or poultry. Beef, except for ground beef, can be cooked to rare (145 degrees); pork should reach at least 160 degrees, and poultry should reach at least 180 degrees. The exception is turkey breast, which is safe at 170 degrees. The USDA recommends thorough cooking of raw meat products. Disease-producing bacteria are destroyed when the meat is fully cooked.
   
   Ground beef should be cooked until it's well-done or cooked to at least 160 degrees. An instant-read thermometer is the best way to check temperature and the safest practice. If you don't have a thermometer, ground beef should be gray. Cook ground beef until you do not see any pink and juices run clear. Never eat ground beef rare or raw! Ground meat is especially susceptible to bacteria because the surface can be contaminated, and the grinding spreads the bacteria throughout the meat. Disease-producing bacteria are destroyed when meat is fully cooked.
2. Do not allow cooked meat to stand at room temperature. It is a good candidate for bacterial growth at temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
3. Marinate meats properly. While marinating, meats should be covered and refrigerated. Do not use marinade for basting.
4. Keep hot foods hot (140 degrees to 165 degrees). Bacteria can multiply rapidly at lower temperatures.
5. Watch out for cross contamination. Do not expose food to the drippings from raw meat; for example, don't put cooked meat back on the same, unwashed cutting board that held raw meat, and don't cut vegetables on the same board. Wash hands, work surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water after they've come in contact with raw meat. Non-wooden cutting boards that can be thoroughly scrubbed in hot water are preferred.
6. Do not partially cook food, then finish cooking it the next day. Partial cooking encourages bacterial growth, which may not be destroyed in further cooking.
7. Keep refrigerator and freezer at proper temperatures. Refrigerators should be 40 degrees or slightly below; freezers at 0 degrees.

Websites to Visit:

• www.hot-dog.org - Click on Concerned About Calories.
• www.eatchicken.com - Click on Safe Handling to learn more about food safety. Click on Short Cuts to learn how to cut a whole chicken. Click on Chicken Parts to learn about the different parts of the chicken. Click on Talking Chicken, too.
• www.beeftips.com - Visit this site for low-fat cooking methods and cuts of beef, beef safety and healthy beef recipes.
• www.beefnutrition.org - Click on Beef Facts.
• www.nppc.org - Click on Food & Nutrition Info for nutrition facts, recipes and cooking tips.
• www.aeb.org - Click on Basic Egg Facts, Food/Nutrition, Egg Recipes and Egg Safety.

Calcium is another important part of the diet. It's the mineral your body uses to build bones and teeth. When you don't get enough calcium when you're young, you could suffer from osteoporosis when you get older. This is a painful disease in which the bones become brittle and break easily.

Getting enough calcium is especially important during pregnancy. Your baby needs calcium to build its bones and teeth. Since your baby gets its nourishment from you, it is important that you eat a diet high in calcium. Breast-feeding women also need extra calcium for themselves and their babies. Babies, young children and teenagers need calcium because their bones and teeth are growing very fast.

Milk and milk products are our best source of calcium. Good non-dairy sources include sardines and other fish canned with their bones, dark green leafy vegetables and shellfish. Foods made with milk and milk products, like macaroni and cheese, cream soups, puddings, custards and tacos, also provide calcium. It's important to eat a variety of calcium-rich foods every day.

It's easy to get calcium without extra fat. Learn to read the labels and select low-fat or non-fat products. In fact, skim and low-fat milks have more calcium than regular milk.

If you have trouble drinking milk because of bloating and gas, you probably have lactose intolerance. That means you don't have the lactase enzyme needed to digest the lactose (sugar) in milk. Choose lactose-reduced milk, acidophilus milk, Lactaid tablets or drops, or fermented dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt or simply try drinking smaller amounts of milk at a time.

You Can Stretch Your Food Dollars By:

• Choosing large containers; they generally cost less per serving.
• Buying store brands; these are usually less expensive.
• Using non-fat dry milk; it can be reconstituted or reconstituted and mixed half and half with fluid milk.
• Using evaporated milk; it can be reconstituted by adding an equal amount of water and used in place of fluid milk in recipes.

Tips That Will Help

Canned evaporated milk and non-fat dry milk can be used in most recipes calling for fresh fluid milk. Here's how to mix...

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water = 1 cup regular milk
• 1/2 cup skimmed evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water = 1 cup skimmed milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk and 2/3 cup water = 1 cup skimmed milk

Evaporated Milk

• Use evaporated milk straight from the can in making mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, puddings and many other dishes.
• Chill evaporated milk, and you can whip it just like cream.
• Evaporated skimmed milk has all the calcium and protein of milk without the fat.
• Evaporated milk must be stored in the refrigerator after opening.

Fresh fluid milk, milk products, opened canned milk and reconstituted dry milk should be kept refrigerated and covered. This will help it to stay fresh a long time. Store nonfat dry milk powder in a tightly covered container in a cool, dry place.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

* Professionals in the area of nutrition believe we need more calcium. The National Institutes of Health recommends 1,000 mg for premenopausal and estrogen-treated women. They also recommend 1,500 mg for postmenopausal women not treated with estrogen.

How do we interpret the calcium needs into daily intake? Well, the USDA Food Guide recommends 3 cups from the milk group daily and the DASH Eating Plan recommends 2-3 cups daily. One cup equivalent is: 1 cup low-fat/fat-free milk or yogurt, 1½ ounces low-fat or fat-free natural cheese, 2 ounces low-fat/fat-free processed cheese. One cup of milk provides 300 milligrams of calcium.

Putting the Pieces Together to Build a Nutritious Diet

Our bodies are like cars. Cars need gas to go. We need food to go, grow and be healthy. Food we eat breaks down inside our bodies into nutrients. Nutrients are the tiny individual parts of foods that our bodies need to live. Nutrients include: protein -- for building and repair; carbohydrate -- for energy; fat -- for energy; vitamins -- to help protein, fat and carbohydrate do their jobs; minerals -- for body structure and to help other nutrients do their jobs.

Eating the right types and amounts of foods is important for us to get all the nutrients we need to be healthy.

Variety and balance are the important ideas for a good food plan. No one food contains all the nutrients we need. Following the Food Guide helps us to eat a variety of foods. Eating a variety of foods helps us get all of the needed nutrients.

Calcium, vitamins A and C and iron are included on the Nutrition Facts label because they are problem nutrients.

Websites To Visit

• www.whymilk.com

These should be eaten sparingly -- not too much each day! Some fats, oils and sweets are added to foods before eating, such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and table sugar. Because you add these yourself, it is easier to eat less by not adding them or adding small amounts. There are hidden fats and sugars in many foods, however, so it is important to read Nutrition Facts labels and know where to look for hidden fats and sugars.

Fats and Oils

A small amount of fat is important for health, but most of us eat too much fat. Eating too much fat is a risk factor of heart disease and certain kinds of cancer. Eating too much fat can lead to obesity. Being overweight can lead to high blood pressure and is a risk factor of diabetes. You should limit your overall fat intake to 20 percent to 35 percent of your calories and saturated fats to less than 10 percent. If you need about 2000 calories a day, your total fat intake can be about 33-77 grams of fat, with 20-33 grams of this amount being saturated fat. You can learn to read labels to figure out the grams of fat in foods. To lower your fat intake, learn to recognize foods and ingredients that are high in fat and beware of foods with a lot of hidden fat.

Easy Ways to Lower Fat

• Bake or broil instead of fry.
• Choose low-fat or skim milk and other low-fat or non-fat dairy products.
• Choose lean meats, poultry and fish.
• Trim off all visible fat and remove skin from poultry before eating.
• Chill soups, broths and gravies and remove hardened fat.
• Get most of your calories from whole-grain and enriched breads and cereals, rice, pasta, dried beans and peas, fruits and vegetables.
• Choose margarines that have liquid oil listed as the first ingredient.
• Limit your intake of hidden fats.
• Change your recipes; decrease fat by at least one-half.
• Substitute applesauce for shortening in baking.

Sugars

Sucrose is the type of sugar found in table sugar, raw sugar (unrefined sugar), powdered sugar and brown sugar (table sugar colored with molasses). Other forms of sugar include honey, molasses, corn syrup or high-fructose syrup. Sugars supply calories but little else nutritionally.

Many processed foods contain sugar. Look at the list of ingredients on the label. Ingredients are listed in order by weight -- from most to least. Look for the words that end in ose such as sucrose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, lactose and glucose. Also, many foods contain corn syrup and liquid sugar. If one of these sugars is listed as one of the first three ingredients, or if several sugars are listed on the label, the product is probably high in sugar.

The average American eats more than 40 pounds of sugar and sweets a year, not counting soft drinks. Sugar consumption per person has increased almost 1 pound per year each year since 1985.

Complex carbohydrates should be the biggest part of our diet. The best sources of complex carbohydrates are starchy foods such as breads, potatoes, rice and spaghetti. These foods provide other important nutrients in addition to carbohydrates. Sugars and sweets provide carbohydrates and fill you up without providing essential vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Sweets should be used for special treats, not as a major source of carbohydrates.

The USDA Food Guide allows for 8 teaspoons of added sugar daily based on a 2,000-calorie eating plan. According to the DASH Eating Plan, 5 tablespoons of added sugar a week are allowed. One tablespoon of added sugar is the equivalent of 1 tablespoon of jelly or jam, ½ ounce of jelly beans or 8 ounces of lemonade.

Sugar Myths

1. Sugar Causes Hyperactivity

Research has proved that this isn't true, although many people believe it is. If a child is overexcited, it may be because of the situation (a birthday party, being out of school or a holiday such as Halloween) and not because of the sweets that go along with it.

2. Sugar Causes Diabetes

This isn't true either! A person gets diabetes because of genetics (if a relative had it), being overweight or age, but not because of sugar intake. When a person has diabetes, the body can't use sugar properly. These people must maintain a well-balanced diet that includes some sugar but also many other nutrients to keep their bodies healthy.

Sample Food Guide Menu Plan (based on 2,000 calories)

Breakfast

1 fruit – 1 medium piece of fruit

1 grain, 1 milk – 1 ounce whole-grain cereal with 1 cup low-fat milk

1 bread, 1/2 meat – 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Morning Snack

1/2 milk – 1 slice cheese

1 fruit – ½ cup apple juice

Lunch

1 meat, 2 grains, 1 fat – hamburger

1 vegetable, 1 fat – tossed salad with light dressing

1 milk – 1 cup low-fat or skim milk

1 fruit – ½ cup seasonal fruit

Afternoon Snack

1 vegetable – 1 cup carrots

Dinner

1 meat – 2 ounces baked, skinless chicken

2 grains – 1 cup brown rice

1 grain – 1 slice bread or cornbread

1 fat – 1 teaspoon margarine

1 vegetable – 1 cup cooked greens

1 vegetable – 1/2 cup carrot sticks

1 vegetable and 1 fat – tossed salad with light dressing

Night Snack

1/2 milk – ½ cup frozen low-fat chocolate yogurt

Total Food Group Servings:

Grains – 6 equivalents

Vegetable – 5 servings

Fruit – 4 servings

Meat – 5 ½ equivalents

Milk – 3 cups

Fat – 4 servings

Eating On The Go

There's no great harm in eating foods that are high in fat, sugar or sodium and low in nutrients once in a while. Many foods eaten on the go, however, are in that category. It's not uncommon for as many as half of the day's diet to be foods eaten on the go. Look for foods that offer moderate-to-high levels of vitamins, minerals or fiber. To do this, try to find foods that will help you meet the USDA Food Guide’s recommended number of servings from the food groups. Look for foods that are moderate to low in fat, sugar and sodium.

Here are some tips to help you make better on-the-go choices:

• Look in the refrigerator cases for juices, low-fat milk and yogurt.
• Substitute pretzels for chips.
• Buy easy-open cans of tuna or sardines instead of Vienna sausage or potted meat.
• Choose fruit or raisins when you can.
• Sometimes, get plain biscuits or a loaf of bread and some jelly, instead of sausage biscuits, doughnuts or fried pies.
• Choose a restaurant that offers more than just fried foods.
• Order regular hamburgers instead of double cheeseburgers or quarter-pound burgers.
• Choose a grilled chicken sandwich or salad, but ask them to hold the mayonnaise or select fat-free/light dressing.
• If ordering a fried chicken dinner, order the breast and remove the skin. Order plain mashed potatoes instead of coleslaw, onion rings or fries. Corn is another good selection if it is not swimming in butter.
• Chicken fajitas, burritos and soft tacos are fairly good choices. Taco salads are fine if you do not eat the shell.
• Pizza can be a healthy choice, especially if you bypass the meat toppings, order with half the cheese and ask for extra vegetables.
• Get kids interested in salad bars. Allow them to help create the salad and stay away from mayonnaise-based pasta salads or potato salads.
• Sub sandwiches are great, especially with whole-grain breads, low-fat fillings (lean turkey, ham, roast beef and vegetables) and mustard instead of mayonnaise.
• Make sure kids have plenty of fruits and vegetables for snacks.
• Choose pancakes with syrup only, low-fat muffins or English muffins. Avoid high-fat, high-calorie breakfast sandwiches.
• Read the labels! Look for grams of fat and milligrams of sodium. Remember that if you take in about 2,000 calories a day, you should take in only 65 grams of fat, total. About 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day would be about the right limit, if you're not on a low-sodium diet. Cups of soup or meal items to microwave are often high in sodium (800-1,000 milligrams).
• Order a salad when available, and ask for lettuce and tomato on a sandwich.

There are six food groups and one subgroup in the USDA Food Guide:

• Grains
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Milk
• Meat and Beans
• Oils
• Discretionary Calorie Allowance (solid fat and added sugars)

No one food group is more important than another. There are no good foods or bad foods. It is important to balance the high-fat or high-sugar foods with low-fat or low-sugar foods over a period of one or two days.